Chapter 16

Palmer Johnson did have several somethings smaller. We got to look at them from outside the fence. Palmer Johnson was closed on weekends. It is one of the great mysteries of life: Businesses that build the fun products for the weekend are always closed on the weekend. You can only buy their products when you're working. Or visit your local dealer.

There's another thing ... I am willing to pay retail to the manufacturer ... I hate paying the middleman. Across the road from Palmer Johnson was just such a dealer.

"Have I got a deal for you," said the man wearing the belt and suspenders.

I think the suspenders were to keep his pants up ... the belt was for looks. Daddy always said, "Never trust the man who wears both belt and suspenders ... he has left nothing to chance."

He had watched us bicycle up to Palmer Johnson. He saw us rattle the office door and peer through the glass. He saw Grace point to the sign that gave the hours of operation and he for sure saw me look to the sky and make gestures.

He had watched Grace and me with our noses up against the chain link fence ... pointing and discussing features we liked and ones we didn't like and for some reason he realized we were serious. It's not like we showed up in a limo ... and we were wearing typical teenager clothes ... red balls, sox, jeans and a shirt ... kids. Kids riding French touring bicycles ... expensive French bicycles ... expensive French Bicycles with Campagnolo gearsets, shifters, brakes and and wheels. Kids with parents with money.

So ... when we came wheeling our bikes across the street to look at his wares he decided we were seriously looking.

When I said, "Our boat is too damn big," he looked a little shocked.

When Grace said, "We want something smaller," He nodded.

"What do you have?" he asked.

"Rhodes 77 by Burger," I said.

He said, "You are the Austin twins."

Which surprised us.

He said, "You two are famous. Every boat builder in Wisconsin has heard about you."

We both got the dropped chin and raised eyebrows that people get during their fifteen minutes.

"So ... what?" he asked.

"Grace wants smaller," I said.

"David wants single handed," Grace said.

"Grace wants a fairly square entry," I said.

"Wait ... have I got a deal for you ... come look at this boat," he said and led us off to his back lot. Sitting on the hard was a 44 foot aluminum hull with a long cabin and a raised steering pilothouse. The bottom was painted primer, the rest was pristine aluminum.

"Forty-four length on deck, forty-five at the waterline, fin keel but long and not deep. Very beamy; 16 feet. Mast head jib ... roller furling ... three suits of sails. 120 hp Perkins diesel; overpowered but people have died lately from small engines.

"Basic amenities inside. Stove, refrigerator, cabin aft, V berth cabin forward, settees in salon ... but it's not fancy. No expensive high dollar wood. Cypress. It's plain, should be fast. Never been in the water so we don't know.

"Probably could use cleaning ... My daughter and son-in-law built this over 14 years as the perfect boat for a couple with friends. Weekends... 14 years of 'em, and every vacation, holiday and sickday they had to use before they lost 'em. Drunk driver six years ago ... killed them all ... daughter, son, three kids ... him without a scratch. I'll tell you right now ... nobody wants this boat. It's not traditional. It needs paint, a name, cleaning inside ... and someone to love it. Are you that someone?"